Three Days and Three Seconds
by Johnny Davenport
Summary: HIATUS! I don't know for how longOn the last day of summer Hermione has a run in with Professor Snape while working at a small bookstore in Diagon Alley. Now, like a horriblely catchy song, she can't get the Professor out of her head, but she's engaged!
1. Following the Leader

It took me three days to realize

That what he said was true

I clutched the rail,

Huddled in the shower

Like something inside had been ripped out

As water streamed down my face

It took me three days to fully understand that he was gone

Never be with him

Never talk to him

Never see him again

gone

It took me three days to feel crippled

My foundation pulled out from under me

It took me three days

It took him three seconds

To stand up and leave me

With just his charcoal image

A young woman of seventeen years of age walked into the book shop that was down the street from her house. The door opened silently and she was greeted with a smile and hellos from staff and customers alike. Her hair was a dark ashy blond and she had eyes that were full of colors, green, blue, gray, brown and even yellow. Her name was Hermione Granger, soon to be Hermione Weasley.

Her fiancé, Ron, had proposed to her at the end of their sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was barely seventeen at the time but she knew that she loved him and that he loved her and that was all that mattered to her. Her parents weren't happy at first but when they saw how happy their daughter was they decided that it was a good thing. They knew Ron and they gave the young couple their blessing.

The old man that owned the store approached her.

"Hermione, what are you doing here? You should be getting packed, you're leaving for school tomorrow, remember?" he said.

Hermione smiled, "I'm all ready and packed for school Mr. Broderick. I'm just here to pick up my last paycheck, besides it looks like you could use some help with the last day of summer crowd."

Mr. Broderick looked at the busy store.

"Yes I suppose we could use some help, but this means that I'll have to rewrite your check," he said.

"Oh no, Mr. Broderick, you don't have to pay me for today, I love working here and I would have worked here all summer even if you didn't pay me," Hermione said.

"Well why didn't you tell me that at the beginning of the summer?" Mr. Broderick teased.

Hermione laughed and pulled on the light brown suede vest that all of the employees wear.

"I'll take my check now, that way we can both be sure that you don't pay me for my volunteering today," she said.

Mr. Broderick laughed and pulled her check out of the folder he had in his hand.

"You just go do what ever you thing would be helpful," he said as Hermione took the check.

Then he walked off to help a customer. Hermione went over to a shelf that contained the school books. The poor books were all over and some had fallen onto the floor. She began to stand all the books back up, then she put them in category by school year and then in alphabetical order. She was putting away the last book on the very top shelf when she lost her footing and fell off of the ladder. She closed her eyes waiting for the impact, but it never came. She opened her eyes to see a man staring back at her. The man had black hair down to his shoulders, pale pale skin and the blackest eyes you can imagine. It took Hermione a moment to recognize the man.

After he had set her back on her feet he asked, "Are you alright miss?"

_He doesn't recognize me!_ she thought to herself. _Professor Snape doesn't recognize me! _Hermione smiled mischievously.

"Yes, thank you sir. I'm quite alright thanks to your help." Snape just nodded. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked him.

He looked at her for a moment.

"I'm looking for a book called Ethay Askedmay Ookbay ofay Askedmay Otionspay, by Arletontay Eilnay."

"Oh yes, Tarleton Neil, wrote all of his books in Pig Latin. He was a genius really, but a lot of people can't understand a thing he wrote since it's a made up muggle language," Hermione said as she began to walk down the aisle.

"You speak it?" he asked. Hermione smiled back at him, "Iay eakspay itay uentlyflay," she said. (I speak it fluently)

"Avehay ouyay eadray ethay ookbay?" he asked. (have you read the book)

Hermione nodded standing on her tip toes and pulling the heavy book off the shelf. Her knees nearly buckling under the weight of the large tome. She put it into Snape's outstretched arms.

"Anything else you were looking for?" she asked.

"No, this is all," he said. Hermione smiled at him again, she could tell that it was starting to disturb him which only made her smile more.

"Then why don't I check you out," she said.

He looked at her oddly, then she realized what she had said. She gasped and her hand flew to her mouth.

"I didn't-that's not what I meant. I meant to...uh...let you buy your book," she said horrified at what she had said to her professor and thankful that he had no idea who she was.

Snape, to her surprise, laughed, "It's quite alright miss, it's an easy mistake to make."

Hermione smile at him and led him to the cash register.

"You look a little young to be married," he said to her, noticing her ring as she scanned the book.

She glanced at the large gaudy ring, Ron had gone all out, Hermione appreciated the gesture but the ring wasn't really to her taste.

"It's an engagement ring," she said.

"Still, how old are you sixteen?" he asked.

"I'm almost eighteen," she said. "Besides, who are you to berate me? You don't even know me."

Snape opened his mouth to reply but then he sighed, "You're right, I'm sorry."

Hermione pulled a magically reinforced brown paper bag over the book. She never thought that she would hear him say that to her and she was stunned into silence. She recomposed herself as she handed him his change and receipt. She waited for him to put the money away before she handed him the bag with a smile.

"Have a nice day, Professor Snape," she called as he walked away.

She quickly ducked behind the counter before he could turn around. She watched him from around the corner as he turned and looked around curiously. He shrugged and walked out of the store, his mind wandering back behind him to the odd, yet strangely familiar, girl in the bookstore.

Hermione growled and slammed her fist against the wall next to her bed. She pulled her pillow taut over her face and screamed in frustration. There was more than one reason for her to do this. First off, ever since her run-in with Professor Snape she couldn't stop thinking about him. How nice he looked when he smiled, how his laugh rolled out from deep in his chest, and how did a former death eater learn to speak Pig Latin? Second, it was three o' clock in the morning. And third, there was an owl tapping annoyingly on her window. Crookshanks hissed irritatedly from the window seat, scratching at the glass, trying to get to the tiny bird. Hermione growled again and flung the blankets off of her. She stomped over to the window and wrenched it open. Pig flew in and landed on the top of one of Hermione's large bookshelves. The small annoyance hooted dolefully at Crookshanks and wiggled his leg at Hermione. The annoyed young woman quickly untied the note from Pig's leg and gave the bird an owl treat from the box on her desk. She read the note from Ron quickly, deciding how painful she wanted his death to be.

_Hermione,_

_Bet you're glad that summer's over, huh? I am, except that we have to go to potions class with_

_the greasy git. And all the homework. Ugh. Me and Harry _("Harry and I" Hermione corrected unconsciously) _are looking forward to seeing you today at eleven, don't be late! Ha ha, you'll _

_probably be the one waiting for us, eh? See you soon. _

_Love,_

_ Ron_

Hermione grabbed a pen on her desk and quickly wrote back.

_Ron,_

_I love you darling, but if you ever wake me up at three in the morning again I'll murder you and then bring you back to clean up the mess!_

_Love,_

_ Hermione_

She quickly sent Pig off with the message. Then she crawled back into bed and tried rid her mind of thoughts of a certain professor.

Hermione fell asleep halfway through the train ride and did not awake until they arrived in Hogsmeade Station. Ron shook her awake roughly.

"Hermione we're here."

"What made you so tired anyways?" Harry asked.

Hermione glared at Ron as they climbed into a carriage.

"That's partly my fault," Ron said.

"Partly!? Ha!" Hermione said.

"Ok it was all my fault," Ron said.

"What did you do this time?" Harry asked.

"He decided to send me an owl at three o clock this morning," Hermione said, not mentioning that she was already awake due to some bizarre dreams.

Harry shook his head at his friend.

"You _did_ send an owl back," Ron said.

"With a death threat," Hermione said as they climbed the steps up to the castle.

"A death threat?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded silently.

"What did you say?"

Hermione smiled wickedly.

"Nothing much, just that if he ever woke me up at three again I would kill him and bring him back to clean up the mess."

Harry stared, "Really?"

Ron nodded, "Yeah, I was kinda surprised too. You wouldn't really, would you Hermione?"

Ron looked at her. Hermione grinned and cackled evilly as they entered the Great Hall. Ron looked at Harry worriedly while Harry just smiled at his friend's antics. Hermione sat next to Ron and Harry sat across from them between Neville and Ginny. After everyone was seated the hall quieted as the first years entered. Hermione turned sideways on the bench and leaned back against Ron who wrapped his arm around her waist. As the sorting began Hermione felt as if someone was watching her. She glanced a Ron but he was watching the sorting. Hermione looked around and she finally noticed Snape was watching her from the staff table. He didn't notice that she was looking back at him. Hermione was surprised to find that he wasn't glaring at her, he looked like he was thinking very hard. When he did notice her watching his face turned back to its usual scowl and he glared at her. Hermione just grinned at him and winked before turning back to the sorting. Hermione felt him looking at her constantly throughout the entire feast. The food disappeared from the golden plates and the hall quieted as the Headmaster stood.

"Now before we all go off to our nice warm beds I would like to announce the new Head Boy and Girl. When I call your name you will come up to the front and Professor Snape will pin your badge onto your robes and then he will escort you to your new rooms. The Head Girl is Miss Hermione Grang-"

The rest of her name was drowned out by the explosion from the Gryffindor table, as well as Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Of course no one was surprised that she was Head Girl they were all proud of her just the same. Hermione smiled and walked to the front where Snape was waiting for her.

"Congratulations Miss Granger," he said quietly as he pinned the badge with a large H on it to the front of her robes.

"Thank you Professor," Hermione said as she turned to face the hall and waited for the Head Boy to be announced.

Once the students had quieted down Dumbledore spoke again.

"And the Head Boy is Mr. Draco Malfoy."

The hall was much quieter this time, with only the Slytherins cheering for their prince. Hermione bit back a groan and noticed Snape smirking at her. Hermione glared at him before turning away to watch Malfoy walk up the aisle between Slytherin and Ravenclaw.

"Congratulations Draco," Hermione heard Snape say in the same tone that he said it to her. Malfoy nodded and turned and smirked at Hermione.

She just rolled her eyes.

"Congratulations Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy. Now, I know that you are all looking forward to getting to sleep for a nice early start tomorrow, so off to bed with you," Dumbledore said.

There was a scramble as the mass of students headed for the door. Ron and Harry fought against the crowd until they reached the place were the new Heads and the Potions Master was standing. Hermione smiled as they ran up to her and pulled her into a group hug.

"Congratulations Hermione," Harry said.

"Yeah, everyone knew you were a shoe-in," Ron said.

Hermione laughed, "Gee thanks Ronald."

Hermione felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Miss Granger, if you are finished..." Snape said.

Hermione nodded and smiled at Harry and gave Ron's hand a squeeze.

"I'll see you guys later," she said.

They nodded, "See you Hermione."

Hermione watched them run to catch up with Neville, Dean and Seamus.

"Follow me," Snape said sharply and he walked off, not looking to see if they were following.

Hermione took off immediately after Snape and Malfoy brought up the rear. As they were climbing up the grand staircase in the Entrance Hall Hermione began to sing softly to herself.

"We're following the leader, the leader, the leader. We're following the leader, wherever he may go..."

They were on the third floor when Snape turned sharply and glared at her.

"What are you doing, Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked at him innocently.

"I'm singing Professor, surely you know what that is sir," she said sweetly.

Hermione heard Malfoy snicker behind her, much to her surprise.

"Of course I know what singing is Miss Granger, and I'll only ask you once to stop it," he said.

"Yes sir," Hermione said.

Snape turned back and began to walk again.

"We're following the leader, the leader, the leader. We-"

"MISS GRANGER!"

"Yes Professor?" Hermione asked.

She felt Malfoy standing next to her, instead of behind her.

"Did I not just tell you to stop that!?" Snape growled.

"No sir," Hermione said.

"What did you just say!?"

"I said "N-"

"I KNOW WHAT YOU SAID!"

"Then why did you just ask what I said?"

"Because I-Miss Granger, I told you not one minute ago to stop singing," Snape said, seething.

"No you didn't sir," Hermione said.

"Then, pray tell, what did I say Miss Granger?"

"Simple, you said that you were only going to ask me once to stop singing," she said.

"Yes, that is what I said. So why did you not stop?"

"Because you didn't ask me to," Hermione said simply.

Snape growled and pressed his temples in frustration.

"Granger does have a point sir," Malfoy said.

Both Hermione and Snape looked at Malfoy, surprised. He shrugged.

"What? It's true."

Hermione smiled.

"Thank you Malfoy."

He grinned. Snape growled.

"Alright you two, not a sound until we reach the Heads' rooms."

Hermione shrugged and began to follow the snarky professor.


	2. Friends?

The girl was sleeping peacefully on the bench in the bay window. Her forehead ad bare arm were pressed against the cold glass of the pane. She shivered and shifted as a wind blew across her face. She continued to sleep. She felt a tickle on her upper lip and she scrunched up her nose and swatted the air in front of her face. A wind blew at her ear and her eyes snapped open. She glared at the pale, smiling face before her.

"Good mo-"

The boy's greeting was cut off when a pillow smacked him in the face. He stood for a moment, stunned, before he growled and tackled her. Then he began to tickle her mercilessly. The girl screamed and laughed.

"Get off! Stop! Draco don't!"

"Say uncle," he said over her laughter.

"Uncle!" she yelled. Draco continued to tickle her.

"Draco!" she yelled at him.

"Say Draco Malfoy is a goddamn sexy bastard and is Merlin's gift to women," he said.

"NEVER!" The girl yelled bravely.

"Then I shall be forced to continue with your torture by tickle, my dear Hermione," Draco said.

Hermione's face had burned red and her sides were beginning to ache. After a few moments Hermione yelled.

"Draco Malfoy is a goddamn sexy bastard and is Merlin's gift to women!"

Draco smiled triumphantly and rolled to the floor on his back. Hermione thwacked him one more time with the pillow, for good measure, before running to her room, yelling.

"Draco darling, you must get up or you are going to miss breakfast!"

At the mention of food, Draco jumped up and ran to his room to get dressed. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Boys."

Hermione glanced at her watch, which she always wore, she still had half an hour before breakfast even started. As Hermione got ready for classes her mind flashed back to the night before.

FLASHBACK

_After Professor Snape had shown them to their rooms Hermione cheerily bid him good night. The grumpy Professor sneered and slammed the portrait closed. Hermione laughed and flopped down on the couch. _

_"If you're always that cheery around him he's going to be dead by the end of this term," Draco said. _

_"I'm not trying to kill him. I am trying to get him to smile or maybe even laugh. I am determined!" Hermione said._

_Draco shook his head._

_"He might kill you instead." _

_Hermione shrugged._

_"He'll probably laugh about it afterwards, so even in death I would be victorious!" _

_Hermione punched her fist into the air._

_"Oh, by the way, thanks for backing me up out there," Hermione said. _

_Draco shrugged and chucked a pillow at her._

_"I think Snape likes you, otherwise he would have given you a detention, even with me backing you," he smiled mischievously. "Hermione and Snapey sitting in a tree."_

_Hermione growled and chucked the pillow back at him. He caught it and placed it under his head, laying on the couch opposite her. Hermione looked at him for a while, chewing on her bottom lip. _

_"So are we friends now?" she asked._

_"Well I certainly don't think we can be enemies anymore," Draco said. _

_"Not that we'd want to," she said, tucking a different pillow under her head and turning to face him._

_"Soooo, friends?" he asked. _

_"One question first," she said. "Are you planning to become, or are you already a Death Eater?" _

_"No," he said. "My father and my grandfather and the rest of You-Know-Who's followers are fools, half-bloods and mu-muggleborns are just as good at magic as purebloods. You're living proof of that. Besides I bow to no one." _

_Hermione smiled, "Good. Friends?" _

_She put out her hand and Draco shook it._

_"Friends," he said. "Now, since were friends, we can talk to each other about our likes and dislikes right?" _

_Hermione watched him suspiciously._

_"Yes," she said slowly. _

_Draco sat up and bounced on the couch happily._

_"Good. So how long have you had a crush on Professor Snape?" _


	3. Sugar Quills

I am so so so sorry that it took so long for me to update. I had really bad writers block and I just could not for the life of me write anything. Then my Internet was being stupid(if any of you had Adelphia like I did and are getting shoved over to Time Warner Cable you know what I'm talking about). And I had a crud load of homework. Forgive me? Anyways here's the next chapter.

Chapter 3: Sugar Quills

Hermione headed to her first class of the day, which happened to be NEWT Potions. Ron was on her left with his arm around her waist and Harry on her right was talking to them, wondering aloud if, since Voldemort was killed, Snape would be "less mean."

"Less mean?" Hermione quirked an eyebrow.

"I can't exactly use Snape and nice in the same sentence...other than this one," Harry joked.

"Really Harry!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm.

"Really Hermione! That greasy git deserves more than that!" Ron said.

"RON! I've told you a bagillion times! Don't. Call. Him. That!" Hermione yelled.

"Miss Granger do not yell," came a voice from behind them. Hermione swung around to come face to face with the man she had just been defending.

"Sorry Professor," Hermione said quietly, looking down at her bright blue Chucks.

Snape brushed past her, behind him stood Malfoy with a questioning look. Hermione winked, turned on her heel and walked into the classroom. Hermione sat in her usual seat next to Ron, though she did glare at him when he mumbled something about an old grumpy bat. Ron hid his face as he pulled parchment out of his bag. Hermione heard Ron's low voice but could not understand what he was saying. She rolled her eyes and pulled out parchment, a bottle of ink and a cardboard box. She situated them neatly on her desk, popped open the ink bottle and pulled a pure white quill out of the box, which was full of about thirty identical pure white quills. Hermione began copying down the notes from the board.

A short while into his lecture Snape noticed Hermione sucking on the tip of her quill. Hermione knew when he noticed and she deliberately let him see the partly dissolved tip of the Sugar Quill. His eyes narrowed and he stopped dead in his speech. The room was silent, no one dared move as Snape walked over to Hermione's desk and stopped. Hermione watched him calmly,twirling the quill between her fingers.

"Miss Granger," Snape said calmly.

Hermione smiled at him.

"Yes Professor?" she asked.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Well, I was taking notes on your lecture but now I-"

"Miss Granger! Unless you have enough Sugar Quills for the class you will put that away."

Hermione's smile grew.

"Yes Professor," Hermione said standing up, the cardboard box in her hand.

Hermione began passing Sugar Quills out to the students around her. Suddenly their silence broke and the students began to laugh.

"MISS GRANGER! Stop that this instant!" Snape yelled.

Hermione turned with a surprised look on her face and the students returned to their silence.

"But-"

"Miss Granger detention," he said smoothly, getting a hold of his anger.

Hermione contorted her face so that she hoped she looked upset.

"Really sir, I must protest!" she said.

"Then you can protest in detention, every night this week!" he said.

Hermione grinned at him. Snape was taken aback, he was silent for a moment.

"Stay after class and your punishment shall be arranged," he said.

Snape then turned on his heel, went to the front of the classroom and returned to his lecture.


	4. Detention

It had been so long since my last update I decided to try to make it up to you. So here's another chapter today. Oh and Happy Valentine's Day! ( ") ♥ (" )

Chapter 4: Detention

Hermione walked calmly down to the dungeons. A place that was normally avoided by most Gryffindors at this time of night. It was almost eight o' clock. Hermione's detention started at eight and she did not want to be late. She was trying to make Snape happy, not furious. She knocked on the door at the same time that her watch beeped that is was eight.

"Enter," she heard the potions master say.

Hermione opened the door to see the classroom was empty.

"In here Miss Granger," Snape said from the store room in the corner of the class.

"Good evening Professor," Hermione said pleasantly. "What shall I be doing for my punishment?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said simply.

"Excuse me sir? Nothing?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"Yes, that's right Miss Granger. From now until ten o' clock you will be doing nothing," he said.

"But sir!"

"Miss Granger, your bag if you please," he said, holding out his hand.

Defeated, Hermione silently handed over her bag, which the Professor then proceeded to take and stow in the large drawer at the bottom of his desk. Hermione watched in disbelief.

"You will sit over there Miss Granger," Snape said, pointing to a chair in the corner behind his desk facing the wall.

Hermione stared at it. _Time out! He is putting me in time out!?!_

"Time out? You're putting me in time out?" Hermione sat in the chair. "I haven't been in time out since I was seven years old and I climbed on to the roof of the house."

"Miss Granger do shut up," Snape said.

Hermione could hear the smile in his voice. _How could he know about...Draco! I'm gonna kill you!_

Hermione was silent for a while thinking of painful ways to kill Draco and make it seem like an accident. So far pushing him off the astronomy tower during class when no one was paying attention sounded like the best option. Finally Hermione got bored and began to talk again.

"So, you decided to try to torture me by having me do nothing when there is something useful that I could be doing at the moment, huh?"

"Yes Miss Granger, I'm torturing you," he replied sarcastically.

"Ha! I knew it," she said triumphantly. "You know, I could almost hear your forehead crinkle when you raised you eyebrow just then," she said thoughtfully, still staring at the wall in front of her.

"Is that so?"

"Yes it is. You really are a bit predictable with the eyebrow thing Sevvie," she said. "See, there it goes again."

Snape lowered his eyebrow and scowled.

"Stop scowling at me Sevvie," Hermione said.

"Stop calling me Sevvie, I am your Professor," he said.

"Yes you are, I'm glad you know that. Good job Sevvie, next class I'll give you a golden star," Hermione said.

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes Sevvie?"

"Shut up."

"You know, I seem to recall you trying that before but it didn't work, and I don't thing it is going to work this time either."

Hermione passed the time talking about everything from which kind of cheese smells the most to the pet sheep she had when she was nine. Just as Hermione finished a rant about why she named the sheep 'Sheepy Cheesehead' her watch beeped that it was ten o' clock. Hermione stood up and turned to face Snape. He was leaning back in his chair with his hands crossed over his stomach.

"Well, it's been fun Sevvie, but it seems our time tonight is up. I'll see you in class tomorrow."

Hermione walked over, opened the door and turned back.

"Good night, Sevvie," she said.

"Good night Miss Granger," Snape replyed before Hermione shut the door and went on her way to the Gryffindor commons.


End file.
